Adding context to the artwork

The Burchfield Penney Art Center maintains and builds on an existing collection of artist files for over 2,700 artists. Of these records, our most expansive content is focused on the artists in our permanent collection. This information includes letters, slides, clippings and biographic information, and has been assembled through the direct donation of objects and information from family members and collectors.

The most significant of these holdings are the archives of Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967), including journals, sketchbooks and many personal artifacts. Other notable artist archives include:

• The files on the films and installations of Paul Sharits (1943-1993)
• Archives on the work of photo-documentarian Milton Rogovin (1909-2010), with notes and representations of all his exhibitions and multiple videos and audio interviews
• An indexed archive of over 15 boxes of material (including photos, letters and awards) related to Martha Visser't Hooft
• Archival photographs and documentation on all of the works by the artist Charles Cary Rumsey, including site images of works in the Harriman estate (40 of Rumsey's sculptures are in our collection)
• If you are a Western New York artist interested in becoming part of this record of the artists in Western New York, please contact us.